Thelephora multipartita

Appearance

Fruiting Body: Quite variable, but generally a vase-shaped structure 2-4 cm high, with a short stem and a head that develops into a rosette or fan.

Head: At first a simple vase-shaped, inverted cone; the inner wall extending additional surfaces with development, with additional "vases" arising to form a rosette-like structure 2-4 cm across; individual components often beginning as cylindric or flattened branches (or sometimes with acute, sharpened apices) that become more flattened with development and often separate radially; outer (lower) surfaces bald, black to dark gray, lilac gray, or brownish, paler at the margin, sometimes becoming wrinkled and/or pimply; inner (upper) surfaces gray to brown, paler at the margin, radially wrinkled and finely fibrillose.

Stem: Confluent with outer surface of head; 0.5-2 cm high; 2-3 mm thick; tough; dark gray to black.

Flesh: Stringy and very tough; gray to grayish brown.

Odor: Not distinctive, or occasionally slightly foul.

Distribution

Widely distributed in North America.

Habitat

Mycorrhizal with oaks and other hardwoods--and perhaps, occasionally, with conifers; growing alone, gregariously, or in small clusters on the ground in soil or in moss; late spring through fall (and over winter in warmer climates).